Will discuss with nationalized banks on farm loan waiver: CM
Bengaluru, June 19: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that he would shortly hold a meeting with the heads of all nationalized banks and their officers to discuss on waiving off the farm loans scientifically.
Speaking at a Meet the Press organized by the Bengaluru Press Club and Reporters Guild here on Tuesday, the CM said that he would not backtrack from his promise of loan waiver. Within couple of days, he would convene a meeting of the heads and officials of the nationalized banks and discuss the formalities. The benefit of the loan waiver should reach the farmers completely, he said.
With an intention of easing the burden on common people because of the farm loan waiver, he is planning to accumulate the money in different sources and check the misusing the funds in government schemes, he said.
“During the NITI Aayog meeting, I have appraised the Prime Minister of the present situation in the state and asked financial assistance from the centre to waive off the farm loans. I have asked the financial assistance from the centre just to know the morality of the PM and not as escapism. I have done my duty as the CM and it is left to them”, he said.
When asked about his statement that ‘no one could touch him for next one year’, Kumaraswamy said that the JDS-Congress coalition government would complete five years term. There is no need to panic over the future of this government. But he answered the question as the media has that doubt, he said.
Village stay
Village stay programme which he began when he was the chief minister for 20 months had got good response from the people. As a servant of people, he had tried to understand the problems of common people through village stay programmes. He would continue that programme to find out the problems and provide solutions, he said.
Checking squandering of money
“I have asked the officials to reduce my security. But they denied my proposal saying that it is the protocol for a CM. So, till now, I am under the security cordon. But I have decided not to waste the public money. I have used general class flight to go to Delhi instead of special flights”, he said.
Budget in July
He would present the coalition government budget in July. Prior to this, he would conduct the cabinet meeting to discuss on Budget. Discussions on farm loan waiver would be held in that cabinet meeting, he said.
The Chief Minister said that media should throw light on burning issues in the state and draw the attention of the government. This would help the government on what to do and what not to do. Development of the state could be possible only when both the sides join hands together. It is because of media, Kumaraswamy is still in politics and because of the media, he was alive when he was in opposition position, the CM said.
‘Not complained, followed Rajadharma’
“When I met AICC president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, I have not discussed anything about Congress leaders. I have got the suggestions only on following the Rajadharma of coalition government. But it is not fair to level allegation against me that I have complained against Congress leaders”.
HD Kumaraswamy, Chief Minister
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Election Commission has become a puppet of govt: Cong MP Ajay Maken
New Delhi (PTI): Congress Rajya Sabha member Ajay Maken on Thursday alleged that the Election Commission has "become a puppet of the government" and questioned how democracy can survive in the absence of a level playing field, transparency and credibility of the electoral process.
Initiating a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, Maken said that while India proudly claims to be the mother of democracy, the three fundamental conditions for a fair election -- level playing field, transparency, and credibility -- have been systematically undermined.
Accusing the Election Commission (EC) of refusing to provide machine-readable electoral rolls, hiding IP addresses and destroying evidence within 45 days, Maken said, "Today, the Election Commission has become a puppet of the government".
The EC's job is to win 'trust', but today its job has become to create 'suspicion', he added, citing examples of how voter turnout figures increased in Haryana assembly elections on the day of result announcement from the figures put out two days earlier.
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He said the commission remained silent when asked about the origin of extra votes and assembly and booth-wise data.
Also, he accused the EC of not providing to the CID -- which was investigating the matter of fake application forms in the Aland assembly constituency of Karnataka -- the IP address and port number of the computers from which the forms were filed.
"If the umpire wears the jersey of a team, what will the other team do? If the umpire itself fixes the match, what will the players do?" he asked.
Commenting on the absence of a level-playing field in the electoral process, Maken pointed out the growing disparity in the finances between the BJP and Congress from 2004 to 2024.
He accused the government of using various tactics to deprive the opposition parties of funds.
In the last 20 years, since 2004, the BJP's bank balance has increased from Rs 87.96 crore to Rs 10,107.2 crore, while that of Congress increased from Rs 38.48 crore to Rs 133.97 crore, Maken pointed out.
He accused the government of unleashing the ED and IT departments on Congress to deprive it of funds just ahead of elections, while also using the agencies to prevent businessmen and big industrialists from donating to the party.
"I have spoken to businessmen, big industrialists. They said that during the time of the Congress government, they used to contribute (to political parties) in a 60:40 ratio. At present, let alone 90:10, even at a 95:5 ratio, we (businesses) can't give it to you because the moment we do it, ED and IT will come after us, and we are not allowed to do anything," Maken claimed.
How can democracy survive in this situation? he wondered.
When the ruling party has 75 times more money than the Opposition, how can there possibly be a 'level playing field', Makan said, adding that all the money that went to the BJP was "all thanks to electoral bonds".
Responding to the allegations, BJP member Sudhanshu Trivedi (BJP) accused the Congress of creating a ruckus instead of availing the avenues available to them to seek redressal of their grievances.
Taking the example of a cricket match, he said, when a team feels that a batsman was out, but the umpire has not declared so, they can seek a review. However, instead of going to the umpire for review, Congress has been holding press conferences, in anticipation that the third umpire would give the decision on his own.
Trivedi wanted to know why the Congress has not asked for CCTV footage of the Bihar elections even after 45 days of polling.
On 'vote chori' allegations in Bihar, he said Congress' vote share has been reducing over the years, and what was left there to be stolen.
Hitting back at the allegation of lack of transparency, Trivedi said in the election for Congress president, in which Mallikarjun Kharge was elected, 22 Congress leaders sought voter lists, but they were not provided as per media reports.
Those who do not share the voter list for their own party election are lecturing others on transparency, he noted.
